PULAU PINANG, April 20 – A Vegetable Waste Vermicompost project carried out at a Pasar Besar in Melaka Sentral by lecturers from the Engineering Faculty, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), has won the Asia-Pacific University - Community Engagement Network (APUCEN) International Youth Volunteer Award (Environment Category) at APUCEN SUMMIT 2017.

The project which defeated 10 others under the same category, won USD$3,000 cash and a plaque from APUCEN which were presented by Higher Education Minister, Dato’ Seri Idris Jusoh.

The project was conducted with the cooperation of UPM and Malacca Historical City Council (MBMB).

Funded by Higher Education Minister and PEMANDU under the Prime Minister’s Department, the project was handed over to its owner, the Mayor of Malacca City Council in September 2016 after its trial project which lasted for 24 months, ended.

The project involved many post-graduates and an environmental company, Pakar Go Green Sdn. Bhd. in collaboration with the community to provide an impact in the reduction of vegetable wastes in the market up to 60 percent.

Under the project, worms were fully utilized to convert wastes into fertilizers. Besides attaining sustainability, the project also sees that vegetable wastes could be turned into fully bio-fertilizers that could bring good returns to MBMB.

APUCEN is a network of academic institutions in the region that carries out activities with the involvement of university community. - UPM